Sir Garry tourney to get under way next week

published by ikhan on Thu, 07/04/2013 - 21:35

Barbados Advocate article.

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS - Only four local teams will be flying the ‘Broken Trident’ over the next few weeks as the 27th edition of the Sir Garfield Sobers International Schools’ Cricket Tournament takes to several grounds around the island.

With this year’s complement including 11 teams from within the region and one from the United Kingdom, the Barbadian sides will most definitely have their work cut out for them. Being launched yesterday in a media conference at the Warrens Complex, the 2013 instalment of the tournament will see defending champions Christ Church Foundation doing their best to stave off last year’s losing finalists and former triple-crown winners, Combermere, along with the slew of visiting sides.

From as early as this coming Monday, the action will get started as the first set of games bowl off at the Empire, Four Square, Windward, YMPC, Wayne Daniel, King’s Park, Wanderers and James Bryan grounds, with teams from Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, Guyana, Antigua, Dominica and the UK looking to get the better of last year’s finalists as well as BCL Juniors and Pinelands Cricket Academy.

Although only 16 teams are participating as opposed to last year’s total of over 20, the competition has seen some growth with two new teams joining the fold – Southern Cricket Academy of Trinidad and Tobago

and Christianburg Wismar Secondary of Guyana. Also new to the competition will be the inclusion of an exhibition of ScotiaBank Kiddie Cricket during the break of the final.

During his address, patron of the tournament Sir Garfield Sobers stated that he is pleased that the tournament continues to do well and remained a staple after all this time. He went on to shower the sponsors with thanks for their support over the years.

“When this tournament first started back in 1987, I don’t think that anyone expected that it would still be going up to this day. Things have become a bit harder due to the economy. This is a very high-profile tournament and it is the only tournament of its kind in the world. Other people have been trying to follow but have fallen by the wayside, and the Board of Tourism, along with the other sponsors, has been so gracious to continue supporting this tournament despite the economic climate,” he said. (MP)